


Day 259

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [259]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:29:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26505178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [259]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257
Kudos: 1





	Day 259

Nabil had the night off from patrol so he headed down to Darktown for a bit of gambling. He had been barred from the Lowtown establishments, but there were a few places left in Dakrtown that would still take him. He was feeling lucky today and brought a hefty bag of coins with him. Some people would hesitate to bring so much money to the nest of Kirkwall’s thieves but Nabil had grown up down here and he knew how to handle himself.

Nabil found a game of diamondback already in session in one of the usual gathering spots. It was little more than a collection of furniture that someone had labeled a tavern. Nabil ignored the hooded figures in the corner, he wasn’t on duty so what they were up to was none of his business. There were four gamblers in the group and all looked young. That was good, young usually meant inexperienced. They were all human, probably Coterie members from the way they flaunted their coin without fear. They, like most of the denizens of this place, were grubby and sported scars from streetfights. The Coterie’s near monopoly would have arisen before they were old enough to fight in a gang wars, but conflicts were still common. 

Nabil looked pulled up a chair to their table, or the pile of stones that served as a table, and took a seat. He wedged himself between the two larger boys, so the smaller ones could get a good sense of his size compared to them. In Diamondback unnerving your opponent was half the game.

“You kids got room for one more.” He phrased it as a statement rather than a question. The kids shared nervous looks with each other.

“If you think you can keep up, old man,” the lone girl said. She was trying to seem self assured but the slight quiver in her voice told a different story. “Name’s Dillia, these are Hob, Laton and Rat.” Shwe indicated the other kids at the table. The boys shifted their charres away from Nabil to space themselves out more evenly and they dealt him in. 

The game got off to a good start, it was fairly even but Nabil was slowly learning their tells. When he was ready, he came for them in earnest. He won hand after hand and could see the kids getting more and more desperate. Nabil watched the group carefully lest they start cheating, they were likely criminals after all. He knew all the usual tricks and didn’t see any of them. Perhaps they hadn’t learned that aspect of the game yet, or perhaps they were too intimidated by him to try. 

This made it all the more surprising when Nabil started losing. At first it was just one or two hands in a row but then he had a whole string of rotten hands. He was sure someone was cheating, he just couldn’t see how. He would have to return to the barracks soon but he had less money then when he entered and he couldn’t afford to walk away just yet. On a particularly strong hand he bet his remaining coin, hoping to win just enough to make the night worthwhile but somehow Dillia came out with an even better hand.

Nabil’s patience was at an end and he swept the pot into his bag and stood to leave.

“What are you doing, old man,” Dillia shrieked.

“You’re cheating,” Nabil said, pointing at the girl. Dillia had been the dealer for that round. 

“It seems you don’t know how this game is played,” Rat said. “Old man.” he added as an afterthought.

“I’m only thirty-five,” Nabil snapped. Hardly an old man.

“Whatever you are,” Dillia replied, “you need to pay us what you owe.”

The kids all rose to their feet and moved to bade Nabil’s way out.

“Are you trying to extort a member of the City Guard?” He asked. 

“Ain’t extortion if you owe us,” she said. “You lost fair and square, now give me my money!”

“You are under arrest for extortion of a public official,” Nabil said. The Coterie kids closed ranks but Nabil drew his sword. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

Nabil felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Guardsmen Donnic and Maceon.

“Where did you come from?” He asked. Suddenly he felt much less confident despite having his brothers in arms at his back.

“We’ve been here the whole time,” Maecon said. “We watched the whole game.”

“Right...” Nabil wasn’t sure what Maecon meant by that. “Well then, help me bring in these thieves in and throw them in the dungeon.”

“Nabil,” Donnic said, “You are under arrest for abusing the authority of the guard, framing citizens and theft of property.”

Nabil was dumbfounded.

“You can’t be serious,” he said. “These are criminals. Why would you take their side?”

“We are, I’m afraid.,” Donnic said. 

“We are cleaning up the corruption in the guard,” Maecon added. “Starting with you. Come with us Guardsmen”

Nabil considered resisting, but Donnic was reckoned to be one of the best hand-to-hand fighters in the guard and the Coterie were covering his back. 

“Fine,” Nabil said. He turned to leave, but Donni cleared his throat pointedly. Nabil sighed and tossed his bag of coins to the Coterie girl. He would sort out this misunderstanding with Aveline and be back to reclaim what was his.


End file.
